Rafael Nadal: 3 Amazing Stats That Point to Another Win at French Open

Rafael Nadal, like always, is the clear favorite at the French Open. But when you take a look at his ridiculous clay statistics, "favorite" might not even be good enough of a word. 

Rafa will have to go up against the two best in the world in Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, and that just makes it all the more amazing how heavily he's favored.

If Nadal somehow lost at the French Open, it would be shocking. Let's take a look at how the numbers suggest that's true. 

Two

Two stands for the number of sets Nadal has lost on clay this season, where he sits at 15-1 overall.

Those two lost sets, of course, came at the hands of Fernando Verdasco in the Madrid Open, which is home to a blue surface that really shouldn't be classified as clay.

If you don't count that tournament, Nadal is 15-0 this year on true clay surfaces.

In those 15 matches, he has beaten Novak Djokovic twice and still hasn't lost a set. 

In other words, he's 30-for-30. For him to lose to three sets in one match at Roland Garros is going to take nothing short of a miracle. 

45-1

That's Rafa's career record at the French. Let that number sink in a little bit.

Back in 2005, when Nadal was a mere 18-year-old, he breezed through the tournament, knocking off No. 1 Roger Federer in the semifinals in four sets before pretty easily beating Mariano Puerta in the finals. 

He was 18. 

Nadal went on to win in '06, '07, and '08 before finally being upset in the fourth round by Robin Soderling in 2009. That stopped his streak of consecutive wins at 31, which of course, is a record. 

After winning the French in 2010 and '11, Rafa has a new streak started. Don't be surprised when he continues to make a run at his own record this year. 

Nine

Since the start of 2009, Rafael Nadal has beaten Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic on clay nine times, and has only lost three times.  

If you're betting on one of those studs to knock off Nadal at Roland Garros, it might seem like a good upset pick because of their immense talent, but be careful because the odds aren't in your favor.

Nadal owns them and everyone else on clay.

Conversely, one thing going in the favor of Fed-Ex and the Djoker is that only one of Nadal's wins have come at the French Open, which was Nadal over Federer last year.

Rafa hasn't faced Djokovic at Roland Garros since 2008, and that should at least give Djokovic some hope.

Follow @t_keen